WEBVTT RESEARCHERS SAY THATDROUGHTS INTHE NEAR FUTURE ARE LIKELY TO BEDRIER THAN THOSE SEEN INMEDIEVAL TIMES.ERIN: THE CURRENT DROUGHT ISIMPACTING ALLERGY SEASON THISYEAR, ESPECIALLY IF YOU AREALLERGIC TO TREE POLLEN.CAITLIN CONRAD IS LIVE INSALINAS TO SHOW US WHY THEWEATHER IS MAKING THIS ALLERGYSEASON SO MUCH WORSE.REPORTER:THIS UNSEASONABLY DRY,WARM WEATHER IS KICKING UPPOLLEN.SPECIALISTS I SPOKE WITH SAYTREE POLLEN IS OFF THE CHARTS.DR. STEVENPRAGER IS ASPECIALIST AT CENTRAL COASTALLERGY AND ASTHMA.MONDAY AFTERNOON, HISOFFICE WASPACKED, MANY PATIENTS COMING INFOR ALLERGIES.WE HAVE SEEN AN INCREASE INTREE POLLEN LEVELS.REPORTER: HIS CLINIC TAKES APOLLEN COUNT EVERY WEEK USING AMACHINE AT THE TOP OF THECLINIC.HE SAYS IT IS TREE POLLENBUGGING PEOPLE.WHILE THE LEVEL IS AT MODERATE,IT IS HIGHER THAN NORMAL FORTHIS TIME OF YEAR.HE SAID PART OF THE PROBLEM ISTHE TREES DO NOT KNOW THEY AREIN A DROUGHT.TREE POLLEN IS NOT DEPENDENTUPON THE AMOUNT OF RAIN WE GETEACH YEAR.IF WE HAVE GOTTEN A LOT OF RAINA COUPLE YEARS AGO, WE ARE GOINGTO SEE A LOT OF TREE POLLEN NOW.REPORTER: HE SAYS THAT INCOMBINATION WITH DRY, WARMWEATHER MAKES ALLERGENS MOREPOTENT BECAUSE THERE IS NO RAINTO WASH AWAY POLLEN.CENTRAL COAST OUR G IS NOT THEONLY PLACING AN INCREASE INPATIENTS.PHARMACISTS ARE SEEINGMORECUSTOMERS COMING IN LOOKING FORRESIDENTS.AND DOCTORS ON DUTY AREEXPECTING TO SEE ALLERGY CASESRAMPED UP IN THE COMING WEEKS.I STARTED TO NOTICE GREATERNUMBERS.I WOULD NOT SAY A LOT YET, BUTIT IS COMING.REPORTER:DR. PRAGER SAYS THEREARE THINGS YOU CAN DO TO PREEMPTSYMPTOMS, INCLUDING LIMITINGYOUR TIME OUTDOORS, ESPECIALLYDURING THE MORNING HOURS.IF YOU SPEND TIME OUTDOORS, MAKESURE YOU WASH YOUR HAIR, TAKE ASHOWER, AND CLEAN YOUR CLOTHINGSO YOU CAN LIMIT THE AMOUNT OFPOLLEN YOU BRING INSIDE.ERIN: I KNOW A LOT OF PEOPLECOMPLAINING ABOUT IT LATELY.DOCTORS SAY IF NONE OF THISWORKS FOR YOU, THERE ARE SEVERALOVER-THE-COUNTER REMEDIES YOU